Folding shipping container

Abstract

The present invention comprises a polygonal folding shipping container, one embodiment of which is a rectangular box having a bottom wall, a top wall, a rear wall, a front wall and two opposite side walls. The front wall and the two opposite side walls each include inner and outer panels which are folded with respect to one another at the upper edge of the wall. A slot extends along the upper edge of each of the front and side walls. The rear wall extends upwardly and is connected to a top wall which has a plurality of flaps along its outer edges. Each of the flaps extend into the slots in the front and side walls.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A rectangular folding shipping container comprising: a rectangular bottom wall having a front edge, a rear edge, and opposite side edges;   a rectangular rear wall having a bottom edge connected to said rear edge of said bottom wall along a fold line, said rear wall having an upper edge, and two opposite end edges,   a pair of rear wall flaps each connected to one of said end edges of said rear wall along a fold line;   a rectangular top wall having a rear edge, a front edge, and two opposite side edges, said rear edge of said top wall being connected to said upper edge of said rear wall along a fold line;   a front top flap, and a pair of side top flaps each being connected to one of said front and side edges respectively of said top wall;   a pair of rectangular sdiewalls each having front and rear ends and extending upwardly from one of said side edges of said bottom wall, each of said sidewalls comprising an outer sidewall panel and an inner sidewall panel, each having an upper edge, a lower edge, and opposite end edges, said upper edges of said inner and outer sidewall panels being joined along a fold line, said lower edge of said outer sidewall panel being joined to one of said side edges of said bottom wall, said lower edge of said inner sidewall panel being closely adjacent said bottom wall;   a rectangular front wall extending upwardly from said front edge of said bottom wall and comprising an outer front wall panel and an inner front wall panel, each of which has an upper edge, a lower edge, and two opposite end edges, said upper edges of said inner and outer front wall panels being joined along a fold line, said lower edge of said outer front wall panel being joined to said front edge of said bottom wall, said lower edge of said inner front wall panel being closely adjacent said bottom wall;   a pair of front wall flaps, each of which is joined along one of said end edges of said outer front wall panel;   said rear wall flaps each protruding between said inner and outer sidewall panels adjacent said rear end of one of said sidewalls;   said front wall flaps each protruding between said inner and outer sidewall panels adjacent said front end of one of said sidewalls;   said rear wall flaps and said front wall flaps being spaced from one another between said inner and outer sidewall panels to define a slot cavity therebetween;   each of said fold lines between said inner and outer sidewall panels and between said inner and outer front wall panels being provided with a longitudinal slot therein;   said side top flaps of said top wall each protruding through one of said slots of said sidewalls, extending downwardly to said bottom wall and substantially completely filling said slot cavities therein so as to combine with said inner and outer sidewall panels and with said rear wall flaps and said front wall flaps to create a three ply construction to each of said sidewalls;   said front top flap protruding through said slot of said front wall and extending downwardly between said inner and outer front wall panels to said bottom wall so as to combine with said inner and outer front wall panels to create a three ply construction to said front wall.   
     
     
       2. A shipping container according to claim 1 wherein each of said front wall flaps and each of said rear wall flaps includes an upper edge which is shaped to engage said inner and outer sidewall panels adjacent said fold line between said inner and outer sidewall panels so as to lock said front wall and said rear wall in a position perpendicular to said bottom wall. 
     
     
       3. A shipping container according to claim 2 wherein said opposite end edges of said inner front wall panel engage said inner sidewall panels of said opposite sidewalls to hold said lower edges of inner sidewall panels against movement away from said rear wall flaps, said front wall flaps and said side top flaps which are positioned between said inner and outer sidewall panels.